Cats Overcome Penalties to Edge Mississippi State

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WAVE) - Despite 11 first half penalties and a Will Levis injury scare in the third quarter, #22 Kentucky fought back to beat #16 Mississippi State 27-17 at Kroger Field.

After a penalty filled first half, the teams battled to a 3-3 halftime score. Scary moment in the third quarter. Levis with a beautiful touch pass to Barrion Brown who makes the first down catch, but Levis hurt his shoulder on the play after being slammed to the turf. Kentucky would settle for a field goal..6-3 Cats.

Bulldogs answer on fourth and goal. Quarterback, Will Rogers hits Austin Williams for the one yard touchdown giving Mississippi State a 10-6 lead. Back comes Levis on the next possession. After a big Chris Rodriguez run, Levis finds Rahsaan Lewis on the slant route for the touchdown, 13-10 Cats.

In the fourth quarter after a 13 yard Rodriguez touchdown gave UK a 20-10 lead, Levis makes a mistake. On fourth and two, Kentucky was setting up a screen play, but the pass is picked off by Emmanual Forbes, and he takes it 59 yards for the touchdown, cutting the deficit to 20-17. Kentucky answers. Levis lobs one up to a wide open Dekel Crowdus, a 50 yard gain setting the Cats up with first and goal on the six. Next play, Rodriguez powers his way into the end zone to close out the scoring.

Rodriguez rushed for 196 yards and two touchdowns on 30 carries. Levis completed 17-23 passes for 230 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception. The Cats have a bye week before traveling to Knoxville to take on Tennessee.